How to set a royal table for four
A formal-looking table in about ten minutes, from the placemats up.
4 min readRound or rectangular placemats: which suits your table?
How shape, size and table size work together, with a few numbers to plan by.
3 min read
The short answer: round placemats follow round tables, and rectangular placemats follow rectangular ones. The longer answer is about space, and about breaking the rule on purpose.
Round tables
A round placemat echoes the curve of the table and never leaves a corner pointing at the next guest. Our round designs are 16 inches across, which leaves room around a standard 10 to 11-inch dinner plate. As a guide, a 48-inch round table seats four comfortably, and a 60-inch round seats six.
Rectangular and oval tables
Rectangular placemats line up with a straight edge. At 12 by 18 inches, ours hold a dinner plate with a fork on one side and a knife on the other, the classic American placemat size. Allow roughly 24 inches of table edge per person so elbows have room.
Breaking the rule
Round placemats on a rectangular table soften a long, formal table and are a good choice if your chairs are close together. Two of our designs come in both shapes, so you can mix them and keep the pattern consistent: Sheesh Mahal Round with Sheesh Mahal Rectangular, and Morpankh Round with Morpankh Rectangular. Rounds at the ends of a long table and rectangles along the sides is a look worth trying.
And the leaf
The Chinar Leaf placemat is neither. It is laid lengthwise under a plate and works best where the table has space to show its outline, and pairs with the matching Chinar Leaf runner.
